Click here for Full Issue of EIR Volume 32, Number 11, March 18, 2005 EIRCivil Rights 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF SELMA’S ‘BLOODY SUNDAY’ LaRouche Youth Join Amelia Boynton Robinson by Bonnie James and Katherine Notley On the 40th anniversary of the historic crossing of Edmund 1965 Voting Rights Act was signed. Mr. Boynton died on Pettus Bridge in the Selma-to-Montgomery march for voting May 13, 1963, after suffering a series of strokes brought on rights, one of the movement’s great heroines, Amelia by the relentless threats to his and his family’s lives, to stop Boynton Robinson, invited four representatives of the him from organizing, as Mrs. Robinson describes in the inter- LaRouche Youth Movement to join her in Selma, Alabama view below, “for the ballot and the buck”—to secure voting to participate. The annual “Bridge Crossing Jubilee” to com- rights and economic independence for the county’s black citi- memorate “Bloody Sunday” on March 7, 1965, when state zens, many of them sharecroppers kept in a condition of vir- troopers attacked the demonstrators attempting to march tual slavery. His last words to his wife Amelia, were to ensure from Selma to the state capital in Montgomery, giving the that every African-American in Dallas County was registered date its infamous name, was hosted on March 3-6 by the to vote. National Voting Rights Museum in Selma, and culminated The LYM organizers joined Mrs. Robinson for a TV inter- on Sunday, March 6, with a re-enactment of the bridge view, in she which recounted her experiences in the voting crossing. rights fight, as well as describing how she met the LaRouche In 1965, the Selma-to-Montgomery march was able to movement in New York City some 20 years later. Soon after, take place two weeks after the attack, attracting activists from she became vice chairwoman of the newly founded Schiller all over the country, and international media attention from Institute, launched in 1984 by Helga Zepp-LaRouche and her start to finish. Galvanized by the determination of people like husband Lyndon LaRouche. Selma business owners Samuel W. Boynton and his wife That evening, a tribute to Samuel W. Boynton was held at Amelia Boynton to secure voter registration for every Afri- the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church, where the first voting can-American in Dallas County, Alabama, and to win eco- rights meeting in Selma took place. The event, attended by nomic justice for especially the poor, rural sharecroppers, 400 people, including elected officials and civil rights veter- President Lyndon Johnson later that year signed the Voting ans, turned into an impromptu book-signing of Mrs. Robin- Rights Act. son’s autobiography, Bridge Across Jordan, recently re- The LaRouche Youth described their participation in the released by the Schiller Institute. The speakers included Mrs. Jubilee as seeking to encourage participants not to simply be Robinson and her son, Bruce Carver Boynton, Dr. Joseph nostalgic, but to elevate the crucial contributions that came to Lowery, Dr. F.D. Reese, and Dr. Charles Steele. Bruce a turning point on that Sunday in 1965, and ask, at this time Boynton recalled the courage of his parents in organizing the of crisis, “Where do we go from here?” and “How do we impoverished black population to register to vote, despite do it?” threats against their lives, in a South where the atmosphere of The LYM delegation arrived in Selma on March 3, a day terror was maintained by lynchings. which was dedicated to the late Samuel William Boynton, by The morning of March 4, the LaRouche Youth attended whose side Amelia Boynton fought for 30 years before the the “Invisible Giants Conference” at Selma High School, 62 Civil Rights EIR March 18, 2005 © 2005 EIR News Service Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission strictly prohibited. LaRouche’s description of life under Trumanism and the es- cape to suburbia. Belafonte himself was blacklisted during that period. Belafonte gave a spirited defense of his well- known calypso song “Day-O,” which he explained was not a trivial pop song, but rather had been passed down from his mother and grandmother, a slave Spiritual from Jamaica and Cuba about surviving on the banana and sugar plantations. He also noted that his friend, former South African President Nelson Mandela, when he was imprisoned in solitary con- finement, used this song to communicate with other inmates, because the guards did not realize that it was a metaphor. Belafonte also talked about his role in the civil rights movement and the many times he marched with Dr. King. He said that many of the artists of his time, such as singer Tony Bennett, came to Selma after the outrage of March 7, to com- plete the Selma to Montgomery march, two weeks later. The Amelia Boynton Robinson, veteran leader of the civil rights artists back then were held to a higher standard than today’s movement, who was beaten unconscious on Bloody Sunday in performers, he said, who have no respect for anything except Selma 40 years ago, was interviewed by reporters during the making money. commemoration ceremonies in March 2005. There was a sense in the audience of the movement com- ing back to life, as especially Belafonte, Amelia Robinson, and Dr. Lowery, a founder of the Southern Christian Leader- where California Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters spoke. Wa- ship Conference (SCLC), attempted to inspire people to rise ters said that many members of Congress would make the above their smallness. Many speeches unfortunately rein- pilgrimage to Selma to march and sing, and be seen marching forced that smallness by basking in nostalgia. Two of the and singing...andthen they would go back to Washington LaRouche youths spoke to Belafonte, describing their work and vote up the Bush Administration’s austerity budget. She and asked for his help with Classical drama. Belafonte said challenged the students to organize a rally aimed at making that he had some of LaRouche’s literature and was “working sure that members of Congress participating in the Selma through it,” and added that he had seen the movement in commemoration take up the fight against the Bush Adminis- Berlin, Germany. tration. Among the events later that day, the National Voting Crossing the Bridge to the Future Rights Museum in Selma, which sponsored the Jubilee events The culmination of the ceremonies took place on March 6 and hosted Mrs. Robinson’s trip, held a reception in honor of with the annual re-enactment of the march across the Edmund Amelia and Samuel W. Boynton. Mrs. Robinson’s speech Pettus Bridge. At the far side of the bridge is a small commem- was warmly received. After she spoke, the LYM organizers orative park; at the entrance of that park, the National Voting engaged in discussion with her and others about the speeches Rights Museum unveiled busts of two women who fought, of Dr. Martin Luther King. LYM leader Michelle Lerner unrecognized, for voting rights for three decades, before the noted that, in reading Dr. King’s speeches, it is possible to events of 1965 exploded before the eyes of the world. Those trace Dr. King’s own growing understanding of the concept two women were Amelia Boynton Robinson and the late Ma- of economic justice. rie Foster. The LYM pricked the conscience of marchers—including Awards Dinner Congress members, who were there to be seen and perhaps The LaRouche Youth were the special guests of Amelia get a “stamp of approval” for showing up, by carrying two Robinson at a black-tie event, the “Freedom Flame Awards” polemical signs. One was crafted with the help of Rep. Max- in the evening on March 5, where the dignitaries included ine Waters, attacking the Bush Administration cuts in the civil rights veterans JL Chestnut, C.T. Vivian, Harry Bela- Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), fonte, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and Democratic Representatives block grants, and housing assistance for the poor: “Say ‘no’ Cynthia McKinney (Ga.) and Maxine Waters (Calif.). Among to Bush’s fascist budget cuts; save HUD, CDBG; Save Sec- those also remembered were Classical singers Marian Ander- tion 8.” The second sign was, “LaRouche PAC: Lift every son and Paul Robeson. voice for economic justice. Join LaRouche to fight Social Harry Belafonte, who had served in World War II, gave Security privatization.” Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R) the last speech of the evening. He described how, returning of Tennessee joined the marchers, but was greeted by the from overseas duty at the war’s end, he noticed a shift in the LYM with signs held high and singing “Ain’t gonna let Bill mood of the population—a demoralization similar to Lyndon Frist turn us around.” EIR March 18, 2005 Civil Rights 63.